Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 4 June 2014 "Producing fruit: love's outgrowth"

Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 4 June 2014 "Producing fruit: love's outgrowth"
Daily Scripture: John 15:9 Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love. 11 I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. 16 You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
17 “I command these things to you, that you may love one another.
Reflection Questions:
Jesus challenged ways of thinking common in his day and ours. We tend to think "producing" is just about goals and results, with no place for "soft" values like love. But Jesus told his disciples he had called them to "go and produce fruit," and linked their ability to do that with living in God's love and loving one another. Acts said it worked. The disciples did "produce fruit, so much that a mob in Thessalonica said they'd been "disturbing the peace throughout the empire" (or, in the King James Bible's superb phrase, that they had "turned the world upside down"—Acts 17:6).
Read verses 9-15 of this passage again, this time imagining that the words are coming from a workplace leader to the people (including you) on whom that leader is depending to "bear fruit." How do you think that kind of message would affect your attitude, and that of others, toward working in that place? How would it shape communication and cooperation in that workplace?
If you can stretch your imagination far enough to envision what the first question asked you to imagine, then picture these words immediately following: "I chose you and appointed you so that you could go and produce fruit and so that your fruit could last." Would the challenge to produce lasting results affect you differently in the kind of environment verses 9-15 would create? Does this make you want to choose Jesus as your ultimate "boss" in life? Why or why not?
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you really seemed to believe this love, friendship and trust talk. We're 2,000 years into your great experiment, and it's still going. Make me part of your "workforce," to help make our world more like your kingdom. Amen.
Insight from Angela LaVallie
Angela LaVallie is the Worship Logistics Program Director at Resurrection. She oversees preparing the Sanctuary for worship, supports Vibe worship and volunteers in the Student Center, provides oversight for Holy Communion at the Leawood campus, and assists with worship logistics at conferences.
It is so funny how often when I tell people I’ve just met that I work at a church, I am asked – full time? At Resurrection, there are many full-time staff members, and we fill every one of our 40 hours with the work of the church. Even so, there is a fine line to walk between working for a church and working for the Lord. Much of my job is logistical – setting up for worship, coordinating Communion, assisting at conferences…
One of the biggest challenges for me in working in a church is remembering that I am not just working for my supervisors and doing a job, but my ultimate boss is Jesus Christ, who calls me to, above all else, love others. I can love others, those who will be coming into the church for worship, by doing a good job with the tasks that I do to prepare for worship. But I have another job to do too.
In Luke 10, Jesus taught two sisters that sometimes being in his presence was more important than the tasks that one of them thought needed to be done while he was visiting. I am a doer, and checking things off a list makes me feel good and productive. I have to remind myself that sometimes the best way to love others is by taking the time to put aside the tasks to spend time talking to others, getting to know them, offering a listening ear and an open heart. When I think about my job, the tasks are not what I find the most joy in (although I really do enjoy them!); it’s the time I spend with others – giving and receiving God’s love.
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